Great RR and pics. I am riding along with you in spirit. I am really enjoying your ride on an elderly shovel. I ride one of the new-fangled Road Kings, so it's nothing like your experience. It is so cool that you are meeting helpful people like Henry along the way. Enjoy your trip and keep it coming. Thanks!

Dave

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Hi Dave

Thanks, I am glad you are enjoying my ride on my geriatric shovel

I rode a new fangle road glide all over hells half acre and put lots of interesting miles on my Buell without breaking them and still had great experiences.

I packed up early and hit the road, wanting to make up some miles. Inmate JimBowie had invited me to come for a visit, so away I went East on Hwy 40, following the old Route 66. I rode along in light traffic, watching the scenery change as the road dropped in elevation. (Moriarty is at about 6000ft elevation. )<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o> Along the way you can exit the freeway and ride through some of the towns on the historic route 66. In some areas the old buildings are in good shape and still in use.<o></o>
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<o></o>I rode and rode the freeway, enjoying the light traffic and the Texas scenery. I pulled into Amarillo, where there were up ramps and down ramps and round and round ramps, but the traffic was light, the signage was great, so I was able to get through town with relative ease.<o></o>
<o></o>I turned off towards Dallas/Ft.Worth, enjoying the relaxing ride down the freeway (I know, right? I enjoyed the freeway!!)<o></o>
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<o></o>I pulled into Bowie, TX and called JimBowie, and he came out to meet me and lead me to his house.<o></o>
<o></o>Jim and his wife, Sandra welcomed me into their beautiful home in true Texas fashion. They made me comfortable, asked me what I wanted for supper and when I wanted it. Sat me down, got me comfortable with something to drink, and then we started visiting. <o></o>
<o></o>They are so easy to talk to and I felt at ease with them right away.<o></o>We talked bikes, and travelling, and bikes, family, bikes and more about bikes. I have lots of friends who like motorcycles, but Jim LIKES motorcycles. A walking encyclopedia on bikes, bike racing, bike history, not to mention formula one racing, the best race tracks, the best places to sit at each race track. It was awesome.<o></o>They have put on many, many&#8230;..many miles 2 up and have great stories of where they have been and what they have seen. They have ridden all over on their Triumph 1050 tiger, and they have just traded it in on the new Triumph 1200, and they have a vintage XS650 in the garage.<o></o>
<o></o>They told me that they had invited a couple of friends over to visit, motorcycle fans who also ride a triumph 1050 amongst other bikes.<o></o>They also told me, smiling, that Sonny wasn&#8217;t what you might expect as a motorcycle rider&#8230;&#8230;<o></o>
<o></o>So the doorbell rings, and in walk Sonny and Judy. Judy is a short, quick to smile, happy woman, and Sonny looks like what a guy might expect when someone talks about Texans. He is holding a hat the size of Texas in his hands, he shakes my hand, and in a sloooooow Texas drawl, says &#8220;Pleased to meet you, sir.&#8221;<o></o>
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<o></o>Now Jim and Sandra have the Texas drawl that is so easy on the ears,(I don&#8217;t think you are allowed to live there without it) but Sonny takes it to a whole new level. He talks so slow and is so relaxed and easy going that a guy gets more relaxed just being in the same room as him. When I asked him what he did for a living, he told me he had &#8220;Been Cowboying most of his life&#8221;<o></o>
<o></o>We start talking bikes, and he has had, at one time or another, just about every bike you can think of. Dirt bikes, enduro bikes, trials bikes, street bikes, bultacos, Maicos, Yamahas, Harley, BMWs. What he hasn&#8217;t owned, he has ridden at some point, even the Bonneville speedway record holding Triumph Rocket.<o></o>
<o></o>We eat dinner, and visit, and visit, and visit. Me listening hard to understand their accents, and them listening hard to figure out what I am saying.<o></o>
<o></o>Sonny and Judy left quite late, and Jim, Sandra and I stayed up way late talking about bikes and everything else there is to talk about.<o></o>
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Last night, we had talked about going for a ride around rural Texas. Sandra and Judy both had to work and Jim had some pressing things at work, and although he wouldnt be able to go for a ride, he would be able to go in late. Sonny said that he would show me around before I headed in a Westerly direction, working my way towards home. Sandra, Jim and I had a bit of breakfast and visited before Sandra had to leave. I wanted to go over the bike before Sonny showed up, but Jim and I got to talking, so I had a late start at going over the bike and getting packed.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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<o></o>Sonny showed up and we got to visiting, we took time for a photo op<o></o>
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<o></o>I thanked Jim again for his hospitality, invited them again up for a visit and Sonny and I took off for a look around. (I think that if Jim hadnt had a pressing matter at work, we could have worn him down enough to come for a ride J )<o></o>
<o></o>We stopped at Sonnys place to check out his bikes. Sonny has a little place out of town with a few animals and lots of space.<o></o>
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<o></o>He showed me around his place. He has picked up lots of neat stuff over the years. Museum quality fossils, petrified wood, hundreds of arrow heads and other interesting things.<o></o>
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<o></o>Sonnys bikes<o></o>
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<o></o>Corgi, the corgi<o></o>
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<o></o>Judys bikes<o></o>
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<o></o>Kickass lawn mower.<o></o>
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<o></o>We rode around the area, Sonny pointing out interesting things.<o></o>
<o></o>We stopped at some old mine workings.<o></o>
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<o></o>We rode around the paved back roads, up and down and around, past farms and lakes.<o></o>
<o></o>We stopped for a bite to eat in Saint Jo, <o></o>
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<o></o>The food was great, and you knew you were in Texas when you read the sign above the urinal<o></o>
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<o></o>The restaurant staff were really friendly, and thought I talked funny. I told them it was them, not me. I did learn to try and slow down my talking a bit so they would have a better chance of knowing what I was saying.<o></o>
<o></o>There was a saloon/museum next door, so they opened it up and showed us around.<o></o>
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<o></o>I mentioned that I had never been to Oklahoma before, so he let the way to the Red River, the border.<o></o>
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<o></o>Following Sonny

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<o></o>Into Oklahoma<o></o>
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<o></o>We rode back into Texas to Archer City, I thanked him for the tour, he told me he would for sure ride up for a visit and then Sonny pointed me West, on secondary roads, and he headed back towards home.<o></o>

I cannot tell you how much we appreciate you taking the time to visit us. It was truly an honor to have you as a guest in our home. We all enjoyed just sitting a talking about life and bikes with someone so experienced in both. What a thrill for us all. Looks like you and Sonny had a good ride. I knew you were in good hands with Sonny. He just has a way of making everything feel so natural and right with the world. I hope you did not get into any bad weather. I took the Explorer to Dallas to get the panniers, top box and driving lights added along with the 500 mile check. It absolutely poured down all the way there and back. At least now I know how it handles in the rain and where all my riding gear leaks. Again, thank you for coming to see us and we will surely be talking about your visit for years to come. Say hello to the wife and kids for us and ride safe. Don't be surprised if Sonny comes up to get your Buell.

I cannot tell you how much we appreciate you taking the time to visit us. It was truly an honor to have you as a guest in our home. We all enjoyed just sitting a talking about life and bikes with someone so experienced in both. What a thrill for us all. Looks like you and Sonny had a good ride. I knew you were in good hands with Sonny. He just has a way of making everything feel so natural and right with the world. I hope you did not get into any bad weather. I took the Explorer to Dallas to get the panniers, top box and driving lights added along with the 500 mile check. It absolutely poured down all the way there and back. At least now I know how it handles in the rain and where all my riding gear leaks. Again, thank you for coming to see us and we will surely be talking about your visit for years to come. Say hello to the wife and kids for us and ride safe. Don't be surprised if Sonny comes up to get your Buell.

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Thanks Jim.

The honor was mine. Travelling solo, a guy gets used to his own company,and sometimes tired of it :) Meeting and getting to know people like you and Sandra is, for me, what travel is all about.

When Sonny went back towards home, and I headed west, I got to Seymour and it had started to rain. It was getting quite late, and I was unsure how late the sun stays up around here, so I got a room, having heard from reliable sources that it didn't usually rain for long in that part of Texas. This morning it was still raining, and I rode in some pretty heavy rain for a few hours. I just thought it was normal heavy rain until I saw the news tonight :)

I am curious. Which panniers did you go with?

And, you know, If Sonny comes up for the Buell, it might be a good excuse for all of you to ride up for a visit..........

It had rained all night, and it was still raining this morning. I put on my rain gear and went out to check the bike over and tighten the chain.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>I packed all my gear, and went out to load the bike, but it had started raining harder so I went back in to wait for it to let up a bit. I continued to check and at one point I met some oil workers who had come back to the motel as their job site had been rained out. By about 9:00 AM, it hadn&#8217;t slowed, so I packed the bike and headed down the road.<o></o>
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<o></o>The original plan was to head towards New Mexico on secondary roads, but, while waiting for the rain to let up, I checked the weather report. Amarillo was reporting overcast but not raining. I asked the motel guy the best way to get to Amarillo, and he told me to take 283 to Vernon and get on the freeway heading west. He then suggested I take the Farm to Market road 1919, as the traffic would be lighter. So away I went, in the rain, visibility just about zero.<o></o>
<o></o>He was right about the light traffic on FM 1919. It was about 40 miles to the intersection of hwy 70, and I saw 2 pickups the whole way. I worked my way west, in the rain, and it wasn&#8217;t letting up. I headed up hwy 6 towards Quanah, hoping the rain would slow down.<o></o>
<o></o>No such luck. I got onto the main hwy at Quanah and rode west, in the rain. I stopped in Childress to eat and pick up a couple of things.I needed a new cord for my iPhone, and went into an elecronics store to see if they had one. It wasn't that kind of store, but the guy said he had a spare one, and gave me a new, official apple product, phone cord, and wouldn't take any money. I like Texas!

<o></o>Everywhere I stopped, people were commenting on the rain, and telling me to ride carefully in the rain. ( my whole time in Texas, pretty much everybody I talked to, when they said goodbye, told me to &#8220;Be Safe&#8221; J )<o></o>
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<o></o>By Amarillo, it was down to just a drizzle. I continued down the road, and when I hit New Mexico, the rain had stopped and it was warming up.<o></o>
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<o></o>I got into Santa Rosa, got a room, and went for some pretty good Mexican food.<o></o>
<o></o>On the way to supper.<o></o>
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<o></o>I watched the news later on, and the rain was wreaking havoc all over Texas. <o></o>

So much for reliable sources and local weather prophets. You should know better than to trust weather men and especially the ones that ride motorcycles. Sorry about the bad weather but I know how it feels. As for the bags, I went with the Triumph brand and I am already wishing I would have followed my own advice and purchased the Zega Pros or Trax. Too late now, too much money tied up. Surely I will learn to like these. Just suffering a little buyer's remorse right now. I do hope the weather holds for you now. It looks good on TV. Ride safe.

So much for reliable sources and local weather prophets. You should know better than to trust weather men and especially the ones that ride motorcycles. Sorry about the bad weather but I know how it feels. As for the bags, I went with the Triumph brand and I am already wishing I would have followed my own advice and purchased the Zega Pros or Trax. Too late now, too much money tied up. Surely I will learn to like these. Just suffering a little buyer's remorse right now. I do hope the weather holds for you now. It looks good on TV. Ride safe.

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Pretty hard to guess the weather. I have ridden in way worse, and at least, even when its raining, its warm in your part of the world. :)

I took a look online at the stock bags. They look pretty fricken good. I would think they will be great.

Weather going west looked pretty warm, so I headed North into the mountains. Supposed to be warm til I get high up, and then only cold when I am sleeping. Lets see if it works out that way. :)

This morning, after watching Texas getting soaked on the weather channel last night, I figured I should check out the weather on my intended route. I had kind of half figured that I would work my way to Las Vegas NV, then up 93 to Twin Falls Idaho, and work my way back to BC. The internet said hot in Vegas. Real hot, like 100 degree hot for the next few days.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<o></o>So I loaded up and headed North for Colorado.<o></o>
<o></o>I headed up hwy 84 to Las Vegas NM ( not hot) had a bit of breakfast, and headed North on 25. Hwy 25 is mostly freeway and so I took it easy in the slow lane, enjoying the changing scenery.<o></o>
<o></o>I pulled into a place for gas, and noticed a bunch of guys, all wearing matching red coveralls and matching handcuffs and leg shackles, standing beside a green prison van, watching me as I got gas. I nodded in their direction .. and they just kept on staring at me and my bike. I needed to go inside the store, so I parked my bike, and had to walk past the van to get to the main door. As I walk by, this good sized fellow in red coveralls asks What year is that FLH? So I tell him and we get to talking bikes. Turns out he has a 1969 FLH which he tells me he is really looking forward to getting back on soon, as he is almost Done with all this. And holds up his handcuffs and smiles. We talked bikes for a bit more until his security detail told him it was time to get back in the van. (the rest of his group had been in the van and ready to go for a bit.) He seemed like a pretty nice guy, all things considered.<o></o>
<o></o>I didn`t ask what he was in for J <o></o>
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<o></o>Inside was a restaurant and souvenir shop . and . old cars<o></o>
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<o></o>I continued on my way north, stopping here and there for a look around.<o></o>
<o></o>At a rest area<o></o><o></o>
<o></o>I pulled into Walsenburg CO for gas, and took some time to look around.<o></o>
<o></o>Cool old courthouse<o></o><o></o>
<o></o>Cool old buildings<o></o><o></o>
<o></o>Cool old motorcycle<o></o><o></o>
<o></o>It was still pretty early when I pulled into Colorado Springs, but I was feeling pretty beat, so I grabbed a room and went down to hose off some of the road grime from riding in the rain.<o></o>
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